THE RULES OF SILENCE

Lou Diamond Phillips is a good match for this story of extortion and murder. Phillips's breathy voice fits well with a variety of characters from both sides of the law, and both sides of the U.S.-Mexican border. His clinical tone brings out the chills as a high-tech, high-stakes chess game plays itself out across borders and in cyberspace. The only flaw in this production is the music. Sometimes, as with a touch of slide guitar at the beginning, it's appropriate and adds flavor to the scene it plays under. More often, it's intrusive. It's a shame, since the book is otherwise excellent. R.G.M. (c) AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 04]